Way to burst my bubble!
Imagine the sudden dread of the apostles when they first learn hear from Jesus that he is going to be killed and that they, too, would need to be ready to be killed. Everything seemed to be going so well. Tons of followers. Amazing miracles. Soaring popularity. Irrefutable power. Now, “The Son of Man will be killed…” and, “whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.”
Our Lord, to drive the point home, allows the pall of dread to remain over his followers “about eight days.”
Only then does he take Peter—whom he will make responsible for strengthening his brothers, James—the first to die and John—the last to die, up the mountain to behold the Kingdom of God in the person of the Christ the King transfigured in glory.
It’s a reminder for us not to be deterred by the real difficulties we can expect in this life. We too must be ready to forfeit our our lives to follow Jesus. This makes it all the it important that we make the most out of these Forty Days of Lent.